Hidden Stars
by TheGrayWitch
Summary: The All-Father as taken in a young girl found in the wasteland of Jotunheim. Now Thor and Loki must live with having a little sister around, a feat which proves surprising for all. Begins Pre-movie. T for language and some violence. No Slash
1. Prologue: Frozen

**Prologue: Frozen**

_My first memories were of the ice and the snow. My fingers were numb with cold yet I was too young to notice it. Too distracted by the snow that was so new to me then. _

_At some point, I heard a strange noise that I later learned was a growl. I turned a standing before me was a very big she-wolf with glowing yellow eyes. Her fur was so white I almost couldn't see it amongst the snow. She stared at me and I stared back. Finally, she moved around me and before I knew it, the wolf was carrying me by the back of my dress. I wiggled and squirmed, unhappy about hanging in the air but the wolf kept on, a mission on its mind apparently. _

_After a time, I stopped, realizing it was futile and all I was doing was tiring myself out. And the wolf kept walking on and I fell asleep._

_I awoke to the feeling of being let down. With wide eyes, I looked up at the wolf as she threw back her head and let out a long sad sound. Part of me wanted to howl along with her but I was too mesmerized to try it. She howled for a long time before bowing her head again and staring at me then the ground. _

_My eyes followed hers and I noticed there were strange markings on the ground. I followed the marks as the wolf circled me before lying down beside me. Not long after, I grew sleepy again and curled up against her warm furry belly before falling into a deep sleep._

_When I had awoken…I was in Asgard._


	2. Chapter 1: New Addition

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters from Marvel and Norse Mythology belong to their respective owners (i.e Stan Lee). I only own Alyss.

**Chapter One: New Addition**

Odin All-Father, king of Asgard, rode to the Observatory where Heimdall stood holding his golden sword. "You called for me, Heimdall?" He asked after dismounting Sleipnir, his eight legged horse.

"Yes, All-Father," The dark skinned gate keeper said. "It seems we have a visitor at the gates of Jotunheim,"

"Laufey?"

"No. It seems to be one of the giant wolves…and it has a child with her,"

"A child? You mean a cub?"

"No. I almost thought it was mortal but that is impossible,"

"But what would an Asgardian child be doing in Jotunheim?" The All-Father whispered then shook his head. "No matter. Open the gate,"

The keeper nodded and strode into the middle of the chamber to insert his sword into the slot, opening the gate. As lightening flew around the room and the Bifrost opened a passage to Jotunheim, Odin pondered Heimdall's words. How could a child have come to Jotunheim? Was there an Asgardian so malicious as to leave a child out in the cold? That sounded more like something a Frost Giant would do. Thought brought to mind his own sons, Thor and Loki. _I wonder if I should… _The thought was interrupted when a wolf stepped into the chamber. It was big, larger than a horse with snowy white fur and glowing yellow eyes. On its back was a sleeping child, like Heimdall had said. Odin stepped up to the wolf and reached to stroke the child's long hair but drew back in fear of waking her. He then turned to the wolf.

"Thank you for bringing her to me. I will watch over her," The King of Asgard carefully picked up the child and cradle her sleeping form to his chest.

_Guard her well, King of Asgard. Such treasure mustn't be lost in the snow. _The wolf said in a commanding but feminine voice before turning back and entering the Bifrost to go back to her frozen world. Odin watched on and nodded in acknowledgement of the wolf's words then left the Observatory.

* * *

><p>Loki and Thor were walking through the halls of the palace.<p>

"I wish you would join us, brother. It would be fun!" Thor grinned, the blond teenager trying to coax his more reserved brother to an outing with his friends.

Loki shook his head. "I'm sorry but a night of frolicking and making a fool of myself doesn't appeal to me. Besides, I have much work to be done,"

Thor sighed heavily. "Brother…all you ever do is work. If you would just loosen up a bit, maybe – "

"My lords," The boys turned to see a guard walking up to them. "Your father wishes to speak to you urgently,"

"What about?" Loki asked, confused.

"He says something has arrived and you two should see,"

The brother's nodded and left for their father's chamber. Thor burst in (as per usual) while Loki calmly but swiftly walked in.

"Father! What is…" Thor's speech stopped due to his jaw dropping. Loki came up from behind and his eyes grew wide at the sight. Odin was kneeling by his bed were a child lay. A girl no older than four of five with long dark brown hair and fair skin was fast asleep.

Loki was the first to break the silence. "Father? What is going on?"

Odin sighed and turned from the child to his sons. "Thor, Loki. You are my sons and you know I love you dearly, yes?"

Thor nodded. "Of course, Father," Loki twitched but nodded as well.

Odin nodded and smiled. "So I need you to understand that my love can never be diminished…no matter if another may also receive it,"

"Another?" Thor looked confused while Loki turned his now round green eyes to the girl.

"Father, you don't mean you're…"

"I must, Loki," Odin said gravely. "She was left all on her own. Where else can she go? No, she will stay here and live as a daughter of Odin,"

"But who is she? What is she?" Thor exclaimed.

Loki sighed in annoyance. "It's obvious that she's Asgardian, Thor. What else could she be?"

"And her name shall be Alyss," Odin said with an air of finality, looking down at a strange pendant of sorts.

"What is that, father?" Loki asked, stepping towards the king.

The all-father handed the talisman to his youngest son. "It was around her neck. Do you recognize this, Loki?"

Loki stepped closer and took the talisman, stepping closer to the bed while Thor stood where he was, shell-shocked. The younger brother turned the talisman over a few times in his hand. It was a stained-glass like pendant with crescents alternately surrounding each other, each a different shade of blue. The metal that held it all together was pewter and hung from a simple string of leather. If it weren't for the strange energy he could feel from the piece, Loki would've thought it might have been a mortal's family heirloom, passed down to this child.

As he bent a little closer to get a better look at the girl, she stirred. Her eyes fluttered opened and stared into Loki's green ones. He gasped to see they were different colors, one chocolate brown and the other sapphire blue.

"Ah, you're awake, little one," Odin said.

The girl's eyes shifted from Loki to Odin, who was smiling gently. Her eyes flitted between them all, including Thor who was slowly coming closer, and grew frightened. She shuffled away from them, utterly terrified.

"No, no, no, it's alright, dear," Odin said gently, holding his hands up to show he wasn't going to hurt her. "You're safe now,"

The girl just stared at them, curled up and frightened. Thor stood behind Loki and almost unconsciously, they both slowly reach a hand out to the girl. She squeaked and hid under the blanket. Both brothers drew back quickly, the confusion and surprising hurt in their eyes.

"It'll take time," Odin said, smiling sadly at his sons. "She's been through a lot it seems. Why you don't you spend some time on your own? I know this is a lot to take in,"

Thor nodded and left immediately. Loki, however, lagged behind, watching the girl with concern. She peeked from under the blanket, her mismatched eyes finding his before ducking back under. The dark haired teen frowned and followed his brother's lead out of the chambers.

* * *

><p>Loki was in his study, trying to decipher a new spell when the door behind him burst open.<p>

"I thought you were going out," he said, not flinching or bothering to turn around and see Thor stomp his way in.

"Canceled," The elder brother said simply as he paced around the room.

"The night air might clear your head," _And get you to leave me alone._

"It won't," Thor paced for a time before speaking again. "What do we do?"

"What do you mean?" The question almost came out like a growl.

"The girl! Father expects us to accept this brat as family now but how! We don't know the first thing about her! Except that she's scared to death of us!"

Loki sighed, abandoning all attempts to get any work done while his loudmouth brother was in the room and turned to look at him. "I understand, brother, but there's nothing we can do. It only makes sense for Father to take her in,"

"But what if there's a reason she was abandoned in the first place? What if she's a trap from the Jotuns?"

"I doubt the Jotuns would be able to come up with such an ingenious plan, let alone get it past the front gate,"

"Then what? How did she get here?"

"I don't know and we won't know until she starts talking,"

Thor let out a frustrated growl and started pacing again. Loki sighed a shook his head. "Look, brother, there's no use worrying about it now. Just go out, have a good time and we'll deal with it tomorrow. That's all you can do,"

Thor pressed his lips together and nodded. "You're right, brother. I'm stressing myself too much. Thank you,"

Loki nodded as Thor left. _Finally, peace._ He thought as he turned back to his work. But soon enough, he himself couldn't concentrate on the spell as thoughts of the girl crept into his mind. Why was the girl so scared of them? And why did it bother him so much that she did? It was just a child, nothing more. A brat he and his brother would have to look out for, as expected by their father.

Loki let out a sigh of annoyance. This child wouldn't help things at all. No doubt that it would take away the attention he tried to receive from all those around him. It was getting bad enough that he'd be outshined by his older brother and now this little girl, this Alyss comes into the picture.

Already, after knowing the child for only a couple hours, Loki knew he wouldn't like her. Not one bit.

_**Author's Note:**_ Hello! I really hope you enjoy this story. For those of you who've been reading Fate's Design, you'll recognize Alyss :) This is not meant to be a romance at all! The relationship between Loki and Alyss in this one is meant to be a brother/sister relationship, a particularly cute one at that ^^ Please review and tell me what you think! Enjoy!

TTFN, Ta Ta For Now!


	3. Chapter 2: A Little Flower Bud

**A/N: **Hello everyone! I'm sorry that I haven't updated so long. It's all a mixture of being distracted, too busy, and wanting this chapter to be perfect. Thank Avenger for getting me back into the swing of things :) Thank you o much for all the people that have favorited, alerted and reviewed this story while it was still on hiatus! How you found it amongts all the other fic after so long is a miracle! Anyway, I'll stop babbling and let you all read what you've been waiting for :) Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I only own Alyss

**Chapter Two: A Little Flower Bud**

Loki awoke the next morning with an enormous head ache. All night, his mind kept on going back to his father's announcement. Try as he might, he couldn't completely understand why Odin felt the need to take in the girl himself. The teen could already imagine how the public would take this news. They'd see Odin as the kind, charitable king who opened his home to the little orphan and Thor the caring older brother who would look after her. No one would see Loki in the background, probably stuck with all the babysitting while his parents run the world and Thor makes a fool of himself. No one would see the middle child. When Loki thought he liked not being in the spotlight, there were times he was proven wrong. Just once in a while, it would be nice if he was noticed too. The teenaged god sighed as he got out of bed and dressed for the day. No use complaining about it now.

After getting dressed and making himself look presentable for the day, Loki left his room and headed down to the dining hall for breakfast. His mother and father were already there along with the girl who was seated in between them. It seemed they were trying to get her to eat but she would only stare at her lap bored. Though the sight made him curious, Loki ignored the girl and greeted his parents before settling in a chair across from them for breakfast. The girl looked up at him but quickly lowered her strange eyes before his could meet them.

Not long after Loki began to enjoy his meal did a loud boom then a great yawn announce the arrival of his brother. Thor called loudly "Good morning!", quickly piled his plate high and preceded to stuff himself with breakfast. The elder brother seemed in a much better mood than before, probably thanks to his night out with his friends doing who knew what. Loki envied him for that since he was stuck thinking all night about their little predicament. Even seeing this girl up close, he couldn't understand why Father would decide to take her in himself? Why not simply give her to another family that might be better suited for having a strange young daughter?

Shoving the thoughts out of his mind, Loki tried to finish his meal in peace when Odin decided to make another announcement. "My sons, tonight we will have a feast to commemorate Alyss's coming here. I'll need you two to watch her while your mother and I handle the preparations,"

Thor, after attempting to speak then realized he still had a large ammount of food in his mouth, swallowed and said "Why can't a servant keep an eye on her?"

Frigga smiled sadly as if she was hurt by Thor's words but was trying not to show it, a trick Loki knew all too well. "Son, it would be the perfect chance for you to get to know each other. After all, you're siblings now,"

Thor scowled but said nothing more, already aware he wasn't going to win this arguement. It was a similar arguement that cropped up when they were much younger, Thor having to watch over his younger brother while they were still mere children. The only difference was the brothers already knew each other well enough to get along in their own way. But this new child...this was much harder to swallow.

Speaking of swallowing, Loki took a swallow of his food after noticing he'd been chewing on it for a long while as he thought over his mothers words. _"You're siblings now."_The thought didn't appeal to him at all but alas, he had no choice in the matter either. Like Thor, he'd just have to grin and bear it.

"Of course, Mother. We understand, right Thor?" Loki asked, discreetly nudging Thor with his elbow.

"Huh? Oh, yes, of course,"

Both parents smiled at their sons as they progressed with breakfast. Once everyone was fed, sans the girl due to lack of interest in the food, the king and queen excused themselves, leaving the little child with the boys. Both male's were staring at the tiny child, who took more interest in her lap, trying to figure out what to do with her. Neither spoke a word for a time.

"You take her," Thor blurted out, not looking away from the innocent girl.

"No. You," Loki replied simply, not looking away either.

"Can't. Training,"

"Neither can I. There are more spells I need to practice,"

"Then just take a break from spells today,"

"You first,"

"I promised the other warriors,"

"I'm sure they'll understand,"

"And I'm sure you could use a break from all you're 'work',"

"I'm quite fine thank you,"

The bicker continued until finally Thor proposed an idea. "Fine, then let's have _her _decide,"

Finally, Loki turned his gaze away from the apparently oblivious child to stare at his brother incredulously. "What on earth do you mean?"

Thor grinned, proud that he'd come up with this idea. "Simple. We both go to her and whom ever she runs to first has to watch her,"

The younger sibling thought about this for a moment. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. Most people naturally chose Thor over him any day. This child would be no exception. He grinned and nodded to his brother's proposal. "Alright then,"

Both brothers stood and stepped around the table. The sudden movements brought the child's attention to her surroundings as her head snapped up. Her eyes, wide and curious, darted between the two boys stepping closer. They each inched closer, not wanting to scare the child but also waiting to see what the other would do. One wrong move could send the child scurrying away from either of them. Loki prayed he'd be correct, trying to keep himself from looking comforting at all.

The child seemed to grow more and more frightened as the boy's got closer but it wasn't until Thor slipped and accidentally made a lunge towards her that she squeaked and ran...straight for Loki. The girl coward behind him, gripping the fabric of his pants and peeking out from behind him. _Damn! _Loki growled internally. _Leave to clumsy Thor to ruin things. _Though, he had to admit, there was some pride in the idea that this little thing ran to him when she was scared. Then he remembered the bet and groaned.

After picking himself up, Thor grinned. "Well, guess she made her choice. Have fun, brother!" He gave a little wave and left the banquet hall. Loki glared after his brother then turned his glare to the child clinging to his side. Why in hell did this damnable child have to exist? Now his plans were ruined all because she chose to hide behind _him_.

_Because you're less threatening._ A nagging voice in his head told him._ This girl is new to everything and would naturally run from Thor for he appears more frightening._

Pondering what to do, he stared down at the child who eventually turned to gaze at him a well. How in the nine realms was he supposed to care for a child he barely knew? He'd never be asked to watch anyone's children so he didn't know where to begin. He sighed to himself and looked away to the window that looked over the palace gardens. Maybe if he took her there, she'd be so preoccupied with the flowers that he could study while she played. He could used some practice with animating plants aways.

Satisfied with his idea, Loki looked back down at the child and offered his hand. She just stared at him in wonder, her eyes darting from his face to his hand. "Come on. I'm not gonna hurt you," He cooed, trying to keep his voice soothing as to not spook the child. The child stared for another minute then tentatively stepped out from behind him and took his hand. He smiled warmly at the child before begining his way to the gardens, making sure to keep in stride with the small girl.

As they walked down the halls, life in the palace seemed strangely normal. Servant flitted in and out without even a glance as the odd pair. Under normal circumstances, Loki wouldn't care or take much notice in this. Now, things were different and he felt somewhat disappointed that no one seemed at all surprised by the child clinging to his side. Part of him wished that one of the maids would ask if the child needed something, then he could convince her to take away the problem just long enough for him to actually get some work done.

Loki then snorted to himelf. Of course, knowing the All-Father, that was precisely why. Whether Thor had taken the child or not, either one of the boys would've tried to convince a servant to take her off their hands the first chance they got thus ruining the purpose of "getting to know each other". _Surely then Father would've known that only one of us would've taken the child why the other ran off to their own devices...Wouldn't he? _That, Loki was unsure of. What he was sure of was that he'd gotten the short end of the stick and was now paying for it.

He glanced down at the little child, who was paying more attention to her surroundings than him, and frowned. _Why did you have to come_ here_?_

* * *

><p>The plan started to seem like a success. Loki sat on a small hill with a spellbook in his lap while the child frolicked about in a nearby patch of garden. The palace held a garden nearly the size of the small village. One could get easily lost amongst all the flowers and hedges that acted like a maze. There were flowers of every shade, size and shape, from giant sunflowers to the smallest of daisies.<p>

This myriad of colour kept the child mesmerized, though Loki would call to her to keep her from straying too far away. Everytime, she'd turn with a slight tilt to her head and stare at him for a moment before going in a direction better suited. This confused Loki to no end. He knew she could talk in some form because he could hear her giggling to the flowers at times, usually at the sight of a ladybug or a butterfly. But no once had he ever heard her speak a word. It seemed like maybe she didn't know how to, or perhaps didn't know the right words. Either way, it wasn't his problem so he would turn back to his work and ignore the little thing.

Little did he know that the child was taking more notice to him than he realized. Many times she would look back at him and watch as he just sat there with curious eyes. Of course, when a butterfly fluttered by, her attention was diverted to it and like the small child she was, she would chase after it until it went passed the boundry line that she was learning not to cross. Then she would turn her gaze to the man on the hill. What was going through her head, no one could say but it seemed like she was curious about him.

Finally, after another minute of staring, the little child started searching through the flowers. It seemed like she was trying to find the perfect one but for what, no one could be sure. Even when Loki looked up to check on her, he was confused. He watched the girl for a while beore turning back to his work, dismissing it as something childish that he needn't worry about.

For while, this continued, until the child found a small patch of white daisies. Smiling to herself, she picked one, a little bud whose petals were still curled inward. Still smiling the wide, happy smile of a child who's accomplished a great task (in their mind), she raced up to Loki and stopped right in front of him with the daisy hidden behind her back. It took only a moment for Loki to notice someone had stepped in the way of the sun and looked up to see the child standing before him. Once his eyes met her's, she gave him a little shy smile and held the flower at to him in a way that said "For you". He sat there, somehow surprised by this tiny gesture before taking the small bud. The child's smile widened and she rushed over to hug him tightly, as if ecstatic by the fact he'd accepted her gift. He froze at the hug, unsure how to repond.

The last time he'd truly been hugged by someone was by his mother, when he himself was just a child. ince then, most barely even looked at him, too enamored by Thor to see him sitting alone in the dark. But this child, this Alyss, with her little arms wrapped around his torso in the way the one embraces another in comfort and not letting go for even a second. Slowly and carefully, so as not to scare her, he wrapped his arms around her little body and squeezed, just enough to get the message across. She snuggled closer, apparently, not wanting to let go, which made him feel even happier.

_Maybe she doesn't see me as less threatening, but as someone to protect her. _The thought made Loki smile and gave him a little idea. He shifted and slightly picked up the little girl so she was sitting on his lap, moving aside the book and held the little daisy for her to see. She tilted her head in confuse, so he quietly told her "Watch," and her attenion went back to the flower. It shiver once and then slowly, creepily, it's petals uncurled and grew until the flower was in full bloom and lightly bigger than the normal daisy. Alyss's outh fell open into the shape of a little "o", her eyes bright with awe and excitement. Satisfied with this reaction, Loki tucked the flower behind her ear, smiling widely. Alyss looked up at him expentantly, as if she wa asking if there was more. Aiming to please, he stood, keeping a good hold of her and carrying her to farther to the hedges of flowers. The spellbook lay on the ground forgottten.

Loki started with a small patch of pansies, many who still hadn't bloomed and were much smaller. With a wave of his hand, all of them grew and bloomed in an array of colours. Alyss giggled and clapped in excitemently, obviously begging for more without saying a word. They continued this game, going from bush to bush, patch to patch, playing with the flowers. Sometimes he even made them move and sway like they were dancing, an act that seemed to excite Alyss more and more. The final flower they arrived at was a little rose buh. Most had bloomed, save for a small little bud nestled in the leaves. It was so young, you couldn't see any petals yet. Loki knelt by the bush, careful to keep a tight hold on Alyss, turned to the little girl and asked, "Do you want to pick the colour?"

She nodded and pointed to the sky. He stared upward, wonder if there was a butterfly or a bird she was seeing, until he realized she meant "blue". Having his answer, he lightly touched the bud, allowing his magic to peed up it's growth and change it from a bright red, like the others, to a deep blue. She smiled and laughed again, clapping excitedly. He just at there, drinking in the attention like a man seeing rain after years of drought.

They're little bubble of blis was interrupted when a servant called for him, aying his father was looking for them. Reluctant to leave, Loki stood, slightly squeezing Alyss tighter to him before making the trek back to the palace, leaving behind the rose bush with the lone blue rose.


	4. Chapter 3: Innocence

**A/N:**Hello everyone! I'm so sorry that I hadn't posted in a while and I'm really sorry for the short chapter ^^; I hope you all can forgive me! Working on several fan-fics at the same time is exhausting! Anyways, thank you to everyone who really enjoyed the last chapter. All your reviews made me smile ^^ And now for some quick reply to some of the reviews

**Flower power.u know u lik it:** Thank you so much! ^^ Yes, Thor and Alyss will be close but it'll be different compared to her relationship with Loki. Thor's great but I think Loki needs more love and attention, which Alyss gives him. **  
><strong>

**DGfleetfox:** You read my mind! ^^ Though Alyss isn't staying a little kid for very long, I'm afraid to say ^^;

**ResoluteShadow:** I know! Even in the comics and the mythology, he's always hopscotching on that line between good and evil. Tom himself has mentioned that there's a chance he could be redeemed. Now, despite saying that and the current situation of the story, he's still gonna be up to some serious mischief. This'll just add to the story ^^

**Leila (Anonymous):** Thank you! ! You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that!

**Chapter Three: Innocence  
><strong>

It was a typical Asgardian banquet with music, dancing, and tables ladened with food. It seemed as if the entire kingdom was here to celebrate the arrive of the king's new daughter. Many noble men and women surrounded the Allfather and his wife, showering them with congratulations and praise. Girls flocked to Thor and his friends, twittering about how be such a wonderful brother and all that nonsense. Rarely did anyone seem to notice or give a care to Loki who stood off to the side with Alyss hiding behind him and clinging to the cloth of his pants. Occasionally, someone would come to see the "little princess" only to leave disappointed because she would squeak and duck farther behind him.

She'd barely left his side for a small second, having only disappeared once with Frigga to change into a little red dress with a gold ribbon that tied around her waist. The daisy was still tucked behind her ear, though now slightly wilted. It made him smile that she'd kept it, a little reminder of their time spent in the garden. She even ran straight to him when the family congregated in the banquet hall before the start of the festivities. At the sight of her obvious attachment, Odin and Frigga were elated though confusion seemed to linger in their eyes, particularly when Thor seemed to try and pick up the child and she hide farther behind Loki.

The surprise made Loki feel both smug and slightly bothered. He was to have as much of a chance to be liked by the child as Thor did, didn't he? _No matter._ He thought to himself as he looks down at that seemingly frightened child._ She's made her choice and that's that. _As if she read his mind, Alyss looked up at him and gave his a small smile before snuggling closer. He smiled back and patted her head, slightly ruffling her soft dark hair.

"It's alright, little one," He said softly, trying to reassure the child.

"Brother!"

Loki looked up to see Thor waving him over, most likely to show off Alyss like a new trinket to his friends. The younger brother sighed and looked back at Alyss, who was watching the group in fear. Trying to make her feel she was safe and secure, he bent down and picked up the child, holding her close like before and letting her wrap her small arms around his neck. Muttering assurances and promises that she would be safe, Loki crossed the room, part of him merely wanting to humor his brother and avoid any sort of conflict while another wanted to show off a bit. No doubt Alyss would be just as afraid of Thor's idiotic friends as she was of Thor himself.

"Ahhh!" sad Thor, spreading his arms wide in welcome as Loki drew closer with the girl. "Here's our little princess. Keeping a close eye on her, eh, brother?" He laughed, giving the younger god a light punch in the arm. Loki gave him a tight lipped smile, obviously not too please by the situation.

"Rather cute little thing, isn't she?" said Volstagg, coming in closer to get a better look at the child.

"Strange eyes, though," Fandral said bluntly as he tried to step closer as well but was taken aback by the sudden glare Loki was giving him. "Er, well, it's true!"

"Did the Allfather explain where she came from?" Hogun asked quietly, staying back with Sif, who had her arms crossed and watched the girl with a critical eye.

"No," answered Thor. "Only that she was found amongst the snow on Jotunheim,"

Loki hissed for him to be quiet but it was too late. The truth was out and there wasn't a way to deny it now.

"Jotunheim?" Sif cried, though not loud enough for any of the other guests to take not of their conversation. "What on earth would a _child _be doing _there_?"

"Especially one this young!" agreed Fandral. Volstagg stood with his mouth gaping open and Hogun looked as grim as ever, if not grimmer.

Loki sighed. "We don't know why or how but she is staying. Where else could she go?"

"But what if she's a Jotun herself?" asked Sif, looking suspiciously at the girl.

He gave her a patronizing look. "Jotuns can't travel through the Bifrost. It's designed to protect against such a thing so no, she is not a Jotun,"

"That you know of,"

Loki growled and was about retort with something rather nasty when Alyss began to squirm. She wriggled and struggled until he finally put her down in which she darted away from the group.

"Wait!" He called, trying to follow the girl but due to her small size and quick feet, he was having trouble finding her amongst all the guests. _Oh no...where could she have gone? _He worried internally, praying that he'd find her before something happened. _Or Father finds her first... _

* * *

><p>Alyss ran from the party, flying down the empty halls. She couldn't understand all the was going on, unfamiliar with the idea of so many stranger people around. All the hostile talk swarming around her became to much for the child, overwhelming her. Children are of simple minds and could only handle one emotion at a time.<p>

Soon, she'd ran so far from the celebrations that she was in a part of the palace that she couldn't recognize where she was. It didn't help that all the halls and corridors looked the same. Because of the festivities, all the servants were needed in other parts of the palace to entertain the guests. None would be around to see a lost child wandering the halls.

As she wandered the hall, the lights seemed to grow darker and the shadows seemed to stretch larger. Alyss shrank from the darkness that threatened to engulf her. Going more and more frightened with each second, the little girl quickened her walking pace until she was flat out running again. She needed to find her way back, back to the woman who helped dressed her and the old man who spoke to her kindly. And the boy who made the flowers dance. If she found them, she knew she'd be safe and free from the darkness.

But no matter how far she ran or how many turns she took, the child couldn't find her way. She'd kept quiet the entire time, save for a few whimpers here and there. No words would leave her mouth, though she felt the desperate need to call for someone, anyone. She wished to call for the boy with the flowers but the words weren't coming. Then she remembered the woman whispering to her when they got back from fitting her into a dress.

_"There he is," The women muttered, holding her hand tight as they came back to the large hall and pointing to the boy with black hair. "There's your big brother,"_

_Big brother..._

"Big...bwother?" Alyss mumbled, unsure of the feel of the words on her lips. They were new, unfamiliar but somehow felt right. But she didn't worry about that. Her childish mind was too preoccupied with finding him again. "Big bwother!" She called louder. "Big bwother!"

"Alyss!"

She turned to see the boy, her big brother, running from down the hall to get her. The worry etched into his features melted into pure relief at the sight that she was okay. He came and scooped her up into his arms, hugging her tightly.

"By the Norns!" Loki cried softly. "You shouldn't run off like that! It's too dangerous for you, little one,"

"I'm sowwy, big bwother," Alyss muttered softly into his shoulder, her little arms wrapped tightly around his neck. He froze, shocked by the sound of her little voice. He half expected her to never talk at all, having suspected that may have something to do with why she was abandoned. Now it seems she was just too shy to say anything yet. What surprised him most was how much it affected him. It made him felt as if there was a strange warmth spreading through his chest, like when she hugged him in the garden.

Composing himself, Loki hugged the little girl tighter then pulled back so he could look her in the eye and muttered "I forgive you. Just don't do again, alright?" She smiled and nodded. He playfully scrutinized her, like he was trying to catch her in a lie. "Promise?"

Alyss giggled. "Pwomise,"

Loki grinned back. "Alright then. Now let's get you back to the party before Father notices you're gone," With that, he turned and started walking in the direction of the party, carrying his sister so he would not lose her again.

* * *

><p>As the god and child went back to the festivities, the shadows that had frightened the child began to twist and writhe. Some came together on the wall to become a larger, darker mass that took the form of a man. The silhouette hissed in the air. <em>"Asgardians...Those bastards were smart...No matter...I can wait..."<em>

The man shadow turned to the other shadows. _"Keep a close watch...don't let the talisman awaken..."_

The smaller shadows seemed to nod and dispersed to other parts of the palace. The man shadow hissed again, growling at the situation before fading into nothing.

* * *

><p>Odin surveyed the great hall, pleased by how the festivities were turning out. It seemed the citizens were willing to accept the child as their princess, though not many were able to see her. He'd heard she seemed shy, always hiding behind Loki. Speaking of those two, the Allfather noticed his youngest son quickly sneak back into the room, carrying Alyss with him. Odin smiled slightly. He'd suspecting she'd gone from the party when some of the guests couldn't seem to find her or Loki. It seemed the child had disappeared and as her caretaker for the moment, he'd gone looking for her. Whether it was an act of brotherly worry, fear for getting in trouble, or even both, Odin wasn't sure. Either way, there was no need to worry now that he knew the child was in safe hands.<p>

It even seemed that the two were bonding, a sight that made him more confident in his decision to keep the child. Despite all appearances, the Allfather wasn't blind to Loki's tendency to hide in the dark. When he was but a child, the king tried to impress on both his sons to strive for the best, no matter the odd. Thor had taken his advance, though perhaps not in a way that Odin had intended. Loki, on the other hand, didn't seemed to be one to show off and display his talents, however grand they were. It saddened him to see his son fall into the shadows and now, at the age when one scorns the help of others for fear of seeming weak, Odin was unsure how to guide him.

_Perhaps this child, with new eyes and an open heart, can coax him onto the right path. _The Allfather watched and wondered as the party drew more and more to a close.

* * *

><p>The night wore on. Things went smoothly and there wasn't another "vanishing act" from Loki and Alyss. Outside, the wind was cool and crisp, whispering warnings of change in the air. Tree already gave hint to this as their leaves began to shift from cool greens to bright and fiery reds and yellows. It was here that Loki was take a walk through the paths just outside the palace with Alyss trailing behind him, holding onto his hand like it was a life line.<p>

The party was about finished and Loki felt it would be a good idea to disappear. After making a comment about taking his sister out for some fresh air, the two slipped away from the crowds and onto the streets of Asgard. Once free from the palace, he let out a sigh and set the girl down on her feet before taking her little hand and going for a walk. It had been stuffy and uncomfortable at the party with all the people crowding around him. It didn't help when some came to seek him out. Well, not him exactly but the child that he was watching over.

_She'll be just like Thor._ He thought bitterly._ Another shining star to throw you further into the shadow. _Images of this strange child being fawned over raged through his mind. And with her reluctance to go to anyone but him, it was more likely than not that he'd be charged with the task of being her caretaker.

_But it's not her fault for being new, not to mention different with her strange eyes. _Loki looked down at his little sister, who seemed captivated by the bright coloured leaves. He couldn't help but smile at how easily ordinary things like the autumn leaves had captured her interest. The shifted and rattled the leaves in the trees, making them rustle loudly and even cause some to fall to the ground. Alyss stretched her hand in hopes of catching one. Grinning mischeviously, he flicked his free wrist and some of the leaves came together to like a large red and yellow buterfly. Her squeal of delight was music to his ears as the makeshift butterfly fluttered down and landed on her head like an oversized barrette.

She turned her bright, happy eyes at him and smiled widely. "Thank you, big bwother!"

The god smiled widely as well and bent down to scoop her up in a big hug. "Anything for the little princess," He muttered. No, it wouldn't be her fault if the other Asgardians fell in love with her innocence. Just like he had.

**A/N:** Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed that ^^ Now, there's going to be a bit of a time jump from here to the next chapter. I love this cute little Alyss and Loki moments but to get the story rolling, I need her to grow up a bit. It's still gonna be a while before we get to the Thor movie part but we'll get there eventually. I hope you all enjoy!

Oh! And before I forget, I started a tumblr account that's kind of a jumping off point for my fics called thegraywitch. It would make me very happy if you guys followed me ^^ I'll try and post up as much news about HS and all my other fics that I'm working on. Support on there too might really help.

TTFN, Ta Ta For Now!

~TGW


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